The present invention relates in generally to building tools and methods and pertains, more particularly, to a nail driver apparatus and a nail directed to joining abutting wood members with headless nails. The driver and opposing points nail of this invention are an improvement over the conventional blind or concealed nail and associated driver devices and methods.
With the conventional hammer and headed nail it is generally necessary to construct walls or decks with "toe nail" style construction. For example, it is common to drive nails, e.g., box nails, common nails, finishing nails, and concrete nails by striking the nail head with a hammer or using a conventional percussive charge device.
Furthermore, it is known to provide specialty nails and associated drivers. The following are examples of disclosures of such devices and fasteners. The Boettcher reference, U.S. Pat. No. 2,874,603, shows a nail having a frangible extension from the head which enables the nail to be driven in places where the head must be recessed. Thus, once the nail is driven, the frangible extension is knocked off.
The Abraham reference, U.S. Pat. No. 2,570,626, shows a roofing fastener which includes a conventional roofing nail with a conventional head and a second point extending from the nail head. The second point is bent over and holds over previously laid shingles. A magnetized cap fits over the second point to reset on the head and drive the nail.
The Brunes reference, U.S. Pat. No. 554,906, shows a blind nailing device with a double ended perforated brad. An offset provides a driving head and a perforation and allows a conventional common nail to be driven through it and hold the brad in place.
The Keide reference, U.S. Pat. No. 3,693,496, shows several variations of a concealed, opposing points nail. A center head limits nail travel. Alternatively, the nail provides offset points with detachable heads.
The Hansen reference, U.S. Pat. No. 515,391, shows a nail wedge. The nail head has wings which fold down to expose a point extending from the head. The Storms reference, U.S. Pat. No. 2,230,397, shows a double pointed nail with a center head for use in capping posts. The Veteran reference, U.S. Pat. No. 2,328,867, shows a double pointed nail with offset points to secure ties and similar members.
Conventional types of hammers, generally with some sort of hammer head, for hitting or driving nails with the head, are known. For example, a fastener driving tool is shown in the Dent reference, U.S. Pat. No. 3,934,779, wherein an elongated driving shaft and handle drive hard-to-reach nails. The Brunstetter reference, U.S. Pat. No. 3,847,193, shows a nail-screw holder that provides an extension to start nails in hard-to-reach locations.
These conventional nails and drivers are used to drive the nail by striking the head. The nail head is typically visible after the nail is driven. This is an aesthetically undesirable sight in many types of wood construction. Another drawback associated with the conventional nail and driver is use of "toe nail" construction to fasten abutting members.
Existing wooden construction, particularly log and spike construction, requires driving large spikes and often pre-drilling pilot holes where a large spike nail is driven through one log into another log below. The same is true in construction of retaining walls made of railroad ties or timbers. A drawback associated with this construction is requiring oversize conventional spike nails just to allow them to be driven completely through one log and penerate the next adjacent log.
When the necessity of driving completely through a member into the next adjacent member is eliminated, the construction exemplified above can be accomplished with smaller headless nails with their opposing points at the ends of the nail shaft.
It should be further appreciated that driving a spike or nail into more than one member of any particularly or relatively hard wood could be difficult or impossible. This drawback is surmounted by use of a smaller, easier to drive headless nail.
Gluing could be an alternative choice, yet it too has its drawbacks. Gluing often requires use of a tack or small nail. Clamping is also an alternative; however, either it or gluing may be impossible or undesirable.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved nail and nail driver that provide a fastener and tool for of nailing wooden objects together. With the nail and driver of this invention the nail head is concealed by the constructed object.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved headless fastener with a nail comprising opposing point portions and an intermediate shaft portion. In one embodiment the shaft portion includes means for preventing the fastener from being easily removed from a receiving member. In a preferred embodiment the shaft portion of the headless fastener or nail may include longitudinally spaced, outward projecting rings.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved nail and driver that provide means for driving an opposing points nail without damage to the point.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved nail and driver that will set the headless nail into a wood member to a pre-determined depth.